Parks Associates: 25% of U.S. Broadband Households Find at Least One Value-Added Monitoring Service Very Appealing

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Feb 5, 2015) - New Parks Associates research reveals 25% of U.S. broadband households find an energy monitoring service very appealing. In addition, 22% are interested in an appliance monitoring service, and 26% find an HVAC monitoring service very appealing. The firm's 360 View: Energy Management, Smart Home, and Utility Programs reports over 50% of U.S. broadband households would pay $2.99 per month for a bundle that includes all three value-added monitoring services.

Parks Associates will discuss the new research with over 250 industry leaders from utilities, energy and service providers, manufacturers, and technology companies at the Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer on February 16-18 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. Event sponsors are Smart Utility Systems, Lowe's, Alarm.com, ecobee, Emerson, NRG, People Power Company, PlanetEcosystems, Southern California Edison, Tendril, WeatherBug Home, EcoFactor, and WattzOn. The event addresses the expanding market for the smart home and the role of energy solutions within the Internet of Things, including connected devices, energy management, utility services, and home control platforms and services.

"Strong consumer interest in value-added monitoring services opens important revenue opportunities in the energy markets," said Tom Kerber, Director, Home Controls & Energy Research, Parks Associates. "However, success requires market strategies that offer unique bundled offerings, combining monitoring services enabled by connected products with more traditional service contracts and home warranties. The keynote speakers at Smart Energy Summit bring valuable insight into strategies for smart energy service providers to drive product sales and long-term adoption and usage."

The Smart Energy Summit keynotes will address developments in the smart home and energy markets and key strategies to engage consumers in energy markets.

• "Love Your Power," by Sicily Dickenson, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, NRG
• "Smart, Personal, Energy," by Ivo Steklac, Vice President and General Manager, Residential & Commercial Energy Solutions, SunPower

The event also features the fireside chat "Channel Strategies for Consumer Engagement," featuring Stuart Lombard, President and CEO, ecobee Inc.

"An emotional connection has the power to create customers for life. And when that happens, those customers become your most powerful marketing engine," said Sicily Dickenson, Chief Marketing Officer of NRG. "Our strategy at NRG is to offer sustainable, emerging and advanced energy technologies as part of a complete customer experience that leaves them loving their power."

"Every day, an increasing amount of customers are choosing to install solar systems to help power their homes and businesses," said Ivo Steklac, SunPower vice president and general manager, residential & commercial energy solutions. "As part of this, they are actively seeking to further improve their energy consumption habits, options, and economics. Smart energy provides these options and can enable customers to personalize their energy usage to suit their needs."

"The connected home industry is really taking off as customers are seeing the value of added convenience and meaningful energy savings," said Stuart Lombard, CEO at ecobee. "With smart thermostats, we're seeing customers engage with their home's energy use on a regular basis through an app -- and with analytics, like ecobee's Home IQ, customers now have the tools to make smarter choices around their energy consumption. This new level of engagement provides new opportunities for the industry to inform and support customers with energy choices."

The new Parks Associates research also shows value-added monitoring services have the potential to drive subscriber acquisitions in restructured markets. Among those in restructured electricity markets, one-fifth would switch providers if offered a smart thermostat and a value-added monitoring service.

Information about Smart Energy Summit is available at http://www.ses2015.com. Press passes are available at http://www.parksassociates.com/ses-presspass. To schedule a meeting with an analyst or speaker or to request materials from the energy conference, please contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com or 720.987.6614.

About Smart Energy Summit
Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer examines the expanding market for the smart home and the role of energy solutions within the Internet of Things, including connected devices, energy management, utility services, and home control platforms and services.

Smart Energy Summit addresses strategies for utilities, service providers, retailers, and manufacturers to expand and monetize their energy offerings by engaging consumers, developing new business models, and creating unique partnerships.

The summit agenda features thought leaders representing utilities, state and national regulators, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs presenting on the state of the market and the emerging consumer and business opportunities.

The sixth-annual Smart Energy Summit will take place February 16-18, 2015, at the Four Seasons Resort in Austin, Texas. Follow the event on Twitter at @SmartEnergySmt and on the Smart Energy Insights Blog. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.ses2015.com.